How Fraternity Parties Are Different From The Ones Portrayed In Movies

If you watch a movie about university students, chances are there is a huge fraternity party involved, where everyone is drinking heavily and acting wild and out of control. In reality, however, there is a regulatory group that makes and enforces rules for fraternity and sorority parties. For fraternities, the governing body, aside from the Alumni Association associated with each specific fraternity, is called Inter Fraternity Council or IFC, for short. This council is held responsible for making sure fraternity parties do not end up like the ones seen in movies. They make rules about things even as seemingly miniscule as fluorescent lighting and interior lighting design for any kind of registered get-together. The reason there are rules about lights during a party is hopefully so no one is harmed during the party. Below, is a few of the rules IFC has in place and the reasoning behind the rule:

1. As listed above, rules about the lights at a party have been put in place through IFC. This is because people at IFC do not want to have any injuries reported from the fraternity for which they are responsible. Also, some lights can be a fire hazard if there are too many of them or if they are not of the right voltage. The main rule is that there has to be at least some kind of lighting, so as to minimize injuries.

2. Each fraternity is supposed to have some kind of un-salted food available at every party, for everyone. The theory is that salted food makes people want to drink more and most likely, thirsty people will just drink more alcohol. While this may not always be a valid concern, there must be un-salted food provided, just in case.

3. A fraternity, under IFC rules, is also supposed to have a fair supply of non-alcoholic beverages available, besides just water. IFC and most fraternities want to give the impression that people who do not drink are welcome at the parities and that fraternities are not all about serving alcoholic beverages. Most importantly, it is alleged people under twenty-one are not going to be drinking alcohol, so there has to be something for them to drink too.

4. Fraternities under no circumstances may charge any kind of cover or admission. It is not only against IFC rules to charge a cover, but it is also against almost every one of the state laws as well because you have to have an alcohol license in order to charge a fee to get into the party.

5. Finally, there must be some kind of fence that goes around the house to contain the party. Most houses or apartment buildings next to a fraternity do not want trash from the party or people running around their yard making a mess at night, so to be polite to others, a temporary fence is supposed to be put around the parameter of the home.

Because of these rules, fraternities and their parties have come a long way in making these events more accessible for more people and in taking better care to prevent alcohol-related injuries. And, although all of these rules may not be followed in their entirety all of the time, they are there and there are consequences if they are not taken seriously. Fraternities do need at least a few rules, so they do not turn out to be very similar the ones that are portrayed in movies and on television.